1815: Conclusion of the Congress of Vienna

On this day in 1815, the famous Congress of Vienna, one of the most important international agreements on the fate of Europe and the world, was concluded.

The arrangements made by this congress were maintained in Europe for an extremely long time. The point of the Congress of Vienna was the negotiation of peace and balance of powers after the defeat of Napoleon’s French Empire. It is interesting that the victorious powers did not force France to its knees. Instead, it was included in a stable system of balance of power.

The main participants of the Congress of Vienna were the most powerful European powers at that time – the United Kingdom, the Russian Empire, the Austrian Empire, France, and Prussia (Germany and Italy were not yet united). However, many other European countries were also present at the Congress, so the total number of participants was great.

The main meeting place of the Congress of Vienna participants was a building on Ballhausplatz in Vienna. Today, the Austrian Chancellor and its government have a seat in the same building. Therefore, the term “Ballhausplatz” is sometimes used for the Austrian government in general, similar as the “Downing Street” is used for the British.

The building of the Austrian Chancellor and the government on Ballhausplatz is located right across from the Vienna Hofburg (former imperial palace). On the north side of the building there is Minoritenplatz with the famous Franciscan church.

Among the prominent participants who attended the meetings of the Congress of Vienna were these powerful European politicians:

– Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington on behalf of Great Britain
– Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich on behalf of the Austrian Empire
– Count Karl Robert Nesselrode on behalf of the Russian Empire
– Prince Karl August von Hardenberg on behalf of Prussia
– Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord representing France.